davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
CELEBRATED TAKERS
CONVERSATION NOW A LOST ART
IN THE SOCIAL WORLD.
Killed by the Introduction of Steam, the
Telegraph and Newspapers Colloquiai
Powers of Men Who Lived Long Ago-Dr.
Johnson's Wonderful Capabilities.
ICODuTi0hted, 1851

Among the institutions whose gradual
decay NAV be traced to the introduction
of steam and the telegraph and the con-
seouent push and rush of business is the
professional talker Conversation, 1t
cannot be denied is lost art. The hurry
and hustle of the multitude in their fe-
yerish scramble for the almighty dollar
leave men no time to talk; and the con-
verser, who once was used to coin his
heart throbs into golden words-lavish-
ing them generously on a circle of adj
miring hearers, who hung spell-bound on
his lips for hours together-now be-
thinks himself that time is money, and
preserves, with miserly greed his good
things for his publisher Hail, masters
of forgotten art Ben Jonson and
Shakespeare and Coleridge and Lamb and
DR.. Johnson, and Burke and Macaulay
and the rest. Your bones-Heaven rest
them have long been gathered to the
tomb, and your tongues are silent for
ever. Yet do l love to dwell on your
printed words, and conjure up the times
when they fell, fraught with life, from
your lips.
Of Ben Jonson's colloquial powers
Fuller has preserved record. We know
that Rare Ben was fond of his cups and
that he was the centre of band of wits
and jewellers who frequented the Mer-
maid Tavern. There might be seen, be-
sides Jonson, Shakespeare, Beaumont,
Fletcher and the other poets of the day.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

lore" his tenacious memory, his sound
Judgment, and, above all, his wonderful
readiness, went to make up so brilliant
conversationalist that few could cope
with him. Rarely, indeed, was he downed
in an argument. His pistol seldom
missed fire, and when it did Goldsmith
used to say he would knock down his
opponent with the butt-end of it. Some
times, when angered by opposition, ne
would close the debate thus: Sir, you
don't see your way through that ques-
ton" or, "Sir, you talk the
language of ignorance" At times this
element of consciousness would break
into downright rudeness; as, when once
conversing with Boswell on "Death'-
the latter trying to maintain that the tear
of it might be gotten Oyer-he sad IN a
high voice, "Give us no more of this =
and gave his visitor to understand that
he might take his departure as soon as
he pleased When Boswell was leaving
the room Johnson shouted after him,
Don't let US meet tomorrow" But the
two did meet on the morrow, thanks to
the prying obtrusiveness of Bozzy and
the good heart of the doctor, for the lat
ter, though rude in his manner. had
nothing Of the bear but his skin"
johnson could talk anywhere and at all
times, and was at home on all subjects;
but he was at his best when sitting
with a companion or two over a
bottle at his favorite resort, the Mitre
Tavern, or when occupying the chair at
the Turks Head Coffee House, where the
Literary Club held its meetings. Among
the members of this club, besides DR..
Johnson, were Edmund Burke, Sir Joshua
Reynolds, David Garrick and Oliver
Goldsmith They met once week at
seven o'clock, supped and generally sat
up deep into the night Many were the
tests and the bon mots that were here es-
sayed and fascinating the chat that en-
livened the evening. Burke must have
been a delightful talker. Man Of the
world that he was, his conversation was
brisk and sprightly, ''rambling, but
splendid and instructive beyond compar-
ison." Goldsmith did not shine in COM
pany. His manner was awkward, his
address lacked elegance, and he was gen
orally unhappy if the conversation did
not turn upon himself.
He wrote like an angel, but talked like poor
Poll.
''The misfortune of Goldsmith in con-
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

best puns and made the funniest remarks.
mo one," says Hazlitt, "ever stammered
out such fine, piquan., deep, eloquent
things in half dozen half-sentences as
he does" Some of his witticisms have
been preserved. eff dirt was trumps,"
he once said to person, what hands
you would hold" Of lady who was
very much marked with the smallpox,
he said that she looked as if the devil had
ridden rough-shod over her face. Seeing
him talking to her afterward with great
apparent interest, a friend remarked that
che thought he did not like her" His
reply was, Il like her Intervals very
we'll
Contemporaneous with Coleridge and
Lamb was that gifted circle of men
whose headquarters were the Holland
House. Here Macaulav reigned supreme.
He could talk and talk for three hours
without pause; of his brilliant flashes
of silence" Sydney Smith. himself an
excellent talker, has spoken. He was an
omnivorous reader and his powers of as
similating what he read were wonderful.
His memory was prodigiOus, yet he
sometimes put 1t to very poor uses, for
he could repeat whole pages of the veri-
est trash and was in danger of doing so
on slight provocation. Thackeray thus
describes his conversation: "To remem-
Der the talk is to wonder, to think not
ONLY of the treasures he had stored, but
of the trifles which he could produce
with equal readiness. What vast, bril-
liant, wonderful store of learning he
had what strange lore would he not
fetch at your bidding
OF the rollicking chit-chat of Father
Prout and his friends, Douglas .!crrold,
DR.. Maginn, Maclise and the rest of the
Fraserans, besides Pat Costello, OCon-
nells famous attorney, | cannot speak
at length. In sharp encounter OF wit,
Prout's readiness was astonishing, and
he is even said to have once got the better
of Cavour, the famed Italian minister.
De Quincey's conversation is thus de-
scribed by gentleman who visited him
in 1854: 1--WE have listened to Sir Will
liam Hamilton at his own tireside, to
Carlyle walking in the parks of London,
to Lamartine in the midst of favored
few at his own house, to Cousin at the Sor-
bonnie and to many others, but never
have we heard such sweet music of elo-
quent speech as then flowed from De
Quincey's tongue" Burns, too, had
great conversational powers. Sir Thomas
More, Hume, Chateaubriand, Washing
ton Irving and Benjamin Franklin were
all delightful takers. Sheridan's wit
was like steel highly polished and
sharpened for display and use" yet we
know that, as Tom Moore says, it "Ne'er
carried heart-stain away on its blade"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

versation," DR.. Johnson once said, 'is
this: he goes on without knowing how
he Is to get Off His genius is great, but
his knowledge is small. AS they say of
a generous man, it is a pity he is not
rich, we may say of Goldsmith, it is
pity he is not knowing. He would not
keep his knowledge to himself Yet
Goldsmith sometimes, though rarely, got
| the better even of Johnson. Here's an
instance: Goldsmith once remarked
that he thought he could write good
| fable, avoiding the common error of
making the animals talk out Of character
For instance" said he, 1.-The fable of the
little fishes who saw birds fly over their
heads and, envying them, petitioned
Jupiter to be changed into birds. The
skill consists in making them talk like
little fishes" The doctor had all this
while been shaking his sides laughing.
''Why, Dr. johnson, this is not so easy
as you seem to think; for if you were to
make little fishes talk they would talk
like whales"
Another great talker, who, in flow and
richness of eloquence, even surpassed
johnson, was S. T. Coleridge. Yet he
was not conversationalist, he was only
monologist. But such one! The
host of the "Salutation and Cat" where
he and Lamb used to meet, is said to have
offered him free quarters if he would
stay and talk on, to such profit to the
house were his powers exhibited. AS
soon as he put in an appearance, "argu
ment, wit, humor, criticism, were
hushed; the pertest, smartest, cleverest,
felt that all were assembled to listen, and
his gentle voice, undulating in music,
| soon
Suspended whist, and took with ravishment
| The thronging audience.
There was a silent contract between
himself and his hearers that he alone
should do the talking; and, indeed, his
sweetness of manner so placed every one
at his ease that old and young hung de
lighted on his witching tones. "His
hearers were unable to grasp his theories,
which were indeed too vast to be exhib-
tied in the longest conversation; but
they perceived noble images, generous
suggestions, affecting pictures Of virtue,
which enriched their minds and matured
their best affections"
Before such talker few could hope
to shine. Even Lamb, in the comparison,
seemed to have lost every spark of that
genius which characteriZes his writings.
But at his own Wednesday evening
parties, when housed comfortably in his
chambers in No. Inner Temple Lane,
surrounded by such congenial spirits as
Leigh Hunt, Hazlitt, Charles Lloyd,
Goodwin and Sheridan Knowles, the
quaint Ella always got off the
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

Manv were the iests and the good stories
that passed the rounds of that merry COM
pany, who were wont to continue their
sederunt far into the small hours of the
night. Thus sings Beaumont OF those
gatherings:
What things have we seen
Done at the Mermaid heard words that
have been
So nimble and so full of subtle fame,
As if that every one from whence they came
Had meant to put his whole Wit in aJest
And resolved to live a fool the rest of his dull
life.
"Manv were the wit-combats,' says
Fuller, between Shakespeare and Ben
.1onson. which two | beheld like Span
ish great galleon and an English man-of-
war. Master Jonson, like the former,
was built far higher in learning; solid,
but slow in his performances. Shakespeare,
with the English man-of-war, lesser in
bulk, but lighter in sailing, would turn
with all tides, tack about and take
advantage of all winds, by the quickness
of his wit and invention.
Another famous haunt of the dramatists
of those times was the Cheese Ira
dition has it that Shakespeare spent many
an idle hour in this place, which was
on his way to the Blackfriars Theatre, in
PLAYHOUSE Yard, of which he was so long
the manager. In his time the play began
at / P. M. and ended at 5, at which hour
the wits of the town congregated in the
Fleet-street taverns. In later times the
"Cheese" was frequented by Voltaire,
Pope, Bolingbroke and Congreve. The
expression, Hes not the cheese" ap-
piled to those who, by their want OF
cleverness, were beneath the regular
guests. In an old manuscript play,
written in the days of Ben Jonson, occur
these lines:
Heaven bless the Cheese and all its goodly
| I would to Jove I could 20 daily there;
Then fill bumper up, my good friend,
please
May fortune ever bless the Cheshire Cheese.
But the art of conversation was not
brought to perfection until the time OF
Samuel johnson. Many, no doubt, will
disagree with one of his biographers, who
saws that the doctor was the finest talker
that ever opened lips; yet few but will
admit that he has never been surpassed
His vast amount of quaint and curious
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

Pitts talk was fascinating. Curran's
fund of good humor was as inexhaustible
as his wine-cellar. Walter SCOTS con-
versation vas frank, hearty, picturesque
and dramatic" The great Christopher
North could not live without talk. In
finite variety and prodigality of humor
were the chief characteristics OF his dis
course. He taxed his memory for illus
trations from all the countries of the hab-
liable globe. He may not have given
more information than others, but he
filled the minds of his hearers with noble
thoughts and communicated some OF the
fire of his own soul.
And when the stream of sound,
Which overf1owed the soul, had passed away,
A consciousness survived that 1t had lett,
Deposited upon the silent shore,
Ofmemory, images and gentle thoughts,
Which cannot die, and will not be destroyed
PHILEMON POND.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
A Little Boys Ill Luck.

"Come on. What are you waiting for"'
inquired one little boy of another.
Mamma won't let me CO."
''she won't? My mamma lets me go
most everywhere Yours is awful strict,
amt she?''
Eyes; she used to be the principal of a
seminary"
"Was she?'
Eyes. guess pop didn't think about the
trouble he was maxim for me when he mar
ried school teacher"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

Monmouth season opened, and for weeks
and weeks continued his unbrOken record
of victories. His fame naturally at
tracted thousands of people anxious to
see him. His first defeat was as great
sensation as his long run of victories. 1t
occurred on July 30, in the race at one
mile and a quarter for the Raritan stakes.
Mr.. Withers' Laggard and Appleby and
Johnson's Bradford were the only horses
that ventured to contest Hanovers su
premacy. The hard work necessary to
do so much winning told on the great
three-year-old, and Laggard won by six
lengths, for when Jockey Mclaughlin
saw that he could not make Hanover
win, he pulled up and came in behind
without wasting his horses energy.
The season at Saratoga was satisfac-
tory, but not as brilliant as that at Mon
mouth. 1t has long been fashionable to
attend the races there, and it has been
looked upon as the stronghold of sum-
mer running. But the weather was ex-
ceedingly bad on many days, and the
counter attractions at Monmouth pre-
vented the season from being all that
was expected of it. Nevertheless it was
up to the record of past years, and sew.
really new feature of racing there was
developed that cannot fail to exercise
splendid influence upon future seasons at
the summer capital. 1t was demonstrated
beyond doubt that Saratoga is the best
5lace vet discovered for horses to recruit
in. Its fame as health resort for men
is world wide, but nobody had thought of
it as an equine sanitarium until several
racers, faded with hard work in other
places, came up there on chance and i'm
mediately recovered strength. 1t was
markedly the case with Hanover and
Kingfsh. Both these horses had been
put through hard work at the Southern
tracks and were taken to Saratoga to
rest. They recovered so much in few
days that the Dryers changed their
plans suddenly and took them both back
to Monmouth to contest for the cham
pion and junior champion stakes, respec-
lively. It was sensational move with
sensational result for Hanover grandly
defeated Firenzi and Volante, both great
racers, and kingtish got away with
large field of well-known runners. King
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
Working Hours in Russia.

A memorandum on the hours of labor In
industrial establishments in Russia just pub
lished by the English foreign office shows
that the average is twelve. An immense
difference exists between the period of work
ing at various establishments, the hours
varying from six to twenty, but the average
is about twelve. It is remarkable that greaI
Industry, and the longer hours are worked in
establishments Of primitive construction and
belonging to proprietors who are either ig nor
ant Of, or profess to be ignorant OF, modern 3dea
technical development. Female night LABOR
is prohibited in certain industries, notably
the textile industry.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
Marrying His Cook With Grape on His Hat

They were talking across the lunch table
about prominent Western man who mar
red his cook within six months after his
wife's death, and one of the gentlemen OBJ
served:
'Ifthat is the case want nothing more to
do with him."
But he was pinched, you know" pro-
tested second.
"How?''
why he had been cleaned out IN deal
in ST. Panl. while the cook made $4,000 in
wheat"
"Oh-ah-I see That alters the case
One must protect his commercial integrity
even if he marries his washerwoman with
the Grape on his hat. Still, should have ad-
vised him to put up reasonable margin on
pork and stood the cook off for three months
longer" - Wallstreet NsWs.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
The Man fer the Work

A lawyer had a great reputation for col
Letting bad debts. It was to this lawyer that
little Bob Finchley repaired when he was
reouested to run quick for doctor, as a
neighbours child had swallowed coin.
Bother the doctorl'' cried Bob; run for
LAWYER johnson; he'll get the moness out OF
him quicker than dozen doctors"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
An Anxious wife.

Charley" said young wife, lis there
really any such person as the fool-killer? ?"
"Oh, guess not don't Know" said Char
ley, who was reading the morning paper.
well, Charley, all wanted to say is please
don't 60 out after dark any more until you
find out. p Washington Critic.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
Bowed Down With Weight of Woe.

Bowed Down With Weight of Woe.
"Are you well acquainted with Mr..
Rigsby?"
'Quite well. He is employed in the same
Office with me-
IT think he is such an interesting young
man. He is always SO melancholy. he
surely must have suffered some great disap-
pointment."
Eyes, he has"
"Oh, how romantic! How was it?'
"Why, he expected raise of salary on the
LIST and didn't get it.-Nebraska State Journal.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
NIBS AND FED.
HOW AN OLD HORSE PUNISHED A
YOUNG BOY.

A Saw-mi1l Story from the Michigan
Lumber Regions-The Manner in Which
Business is Conducted up in That
Country-A Driver Who Got a Bath.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

erss Laggard, J. Haggin's Firenzi,
G. Y. Snedeker's Esquimau and the
Dryers Kingston. The latter, by
the way, was bought at high price
to relieve Hanover, the only great star
racer the Dryers had for the season,
and although good horse, proved TO
be a disappointment. It was the best
race of the whole summer. Laggard,
Hanover and Firenzi were in the order
named less than a head apart at 100yards
from the finish. At half that distance
they were as close together, but in this
order: Firenzi, Laggard, Hanover. At
the finish they were in the same bunch,
not the length of neck separating the
first from the third, and in this order:
Laggard, Firenzi, Hanover. Laggard is
a big horse and a tremendous eater. In
dolent, sluggish, not at all nervous, he is
horse that nobody would take off hand for
a great racer in spite of the fact that he is
a son of Uncas. Firenzi is tine-looking
dark mare who is ridden in conserva-
tive way and wins more than half her
races. Hanover's downfall was clinched
on August 25, when John D. Morrisey,
the Western millionaire, saw his horse
Banburg beat the champion in the race
for the choice stakes. It was another
grand race, close throughout and won
after hard riding. THE BARON.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

the racing world
the season for 1887
will stand until
next year as the
greatest America
has ever known. 1t
seems hardly pos
sible that it will be
excelled very soon,
but veteran horse
men like Captain
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
THE RUNNING SEASON
SOME OF THE GREAT RACERS OF
THIS YEAR.

The Turf Declared to be But in Its Infancy.
Not SO Many Individual Successes as
General Greater Merit-Unknown Horses
in the Ascendency in Many Cases.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29

fish alone in this race won
$4,000 and upward, no &C.
count being taken of bets.
One of the most prom
inent horses of the season
was Terra Gotta, owned by
J. w. Guest, a Kentucky
man. Terra Cotta's work
was done mainly on the
Western courses, but every
body expects to see the colt
throw dust in the eyes of
the Eastern crack flyers
next season. After getting
well started in the season
Terra Gotta won five out
of six consecutive races,
netting Mr.. Guest 100000
in stakes alone. The one
race in these that he lost
was the American Derby
run at Chicago June %,
and it is generally adj
mitted that the horse would
have won had it not been
for incompetent riding
He is a horse of remarka'
Bile staying powers, rarely
getting winded in a hard
race, and he seems to be
built for the purpose of car
rying heavy weights. He is
dark chestnut in color,
rather short, and moves
with an easy, reaching
stride. He was brought
East in the early autumn,
but an attack of malaria
put him on the sick list fol
a considerable time. He
got acclimated eventually,
and will be all right next
season to try conclusions
with the best of them.
The climax of the run
ming season was reached in
the downfall of Hanover,
about whom almost all the
interest in the season CEN
tres. 1t came on August
20, at Monmouth, in the
race for the 0 m n i b u s
stakes. Against Hanover
were entered Mr.. B. With.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-10-29
Copyrighted, 1881

w N the racing world
Telegram-herald., 1887-06-15

CHATTANOOGA. Tenn, June 14-Bv the
explosion Of a dyn smite cartridge IN the
Tennessee Coal 4 iron Company's mines
Yesterday. 6Ve men. two Enziish miners
and three 0neiets we're killed The nine
Is a. inmsn, four miles from mere.
CoLrHEIs. O. June IA sensation has
hesn caused BY tie discovery thar Con rress-
man FnrsR. who recently publicly der insd
TO a low the Use ~ his name for the Cover
norsnin. has agents IN neeriv every Con
zressioasi district AZ work for his nonine.
ton Il il clssnaed the Thurman boom has
beer worked in his interess
Lexpox. June f4-Priaes AIsert Victor.
e,sest son of he PliBce of Halss. wAo has
been selected % rerresens the Qaeen af
Dublin on the occasion OF her jubilee fes-
tvsl. vii 20 % Ireland on June p. II Is
stated that the order of st Rstrick vii hs
c0rfsrrsd on him IN -. Patrick cathedral.
Dublin. on Jnne =.
REsLfx. JaBe l4-Princs Bismarck i
rrrch worse today. Acute rhe1nsafic pains
prevent bis getting needed sleep. TIE Doc
tors have advised change Of air and shso.n
resS buf Re . uss5is At present 70 be re-
moved.
IoxDox. June THE Pzf Nal Gasse.
publishes al interview With Dr. AscKe1ze
II vhich the latfer ssbereS 70 he opinion
thai anless Sonss cAanee shouid occ7r the
Crowa Prince Of Prassia's restoration 70
heaith " sssared-
NswsEzzTPezT. Mass. Jsne I4.-Nsjo-
Ben- Percy Raore's viii WAS pfanste1 10
dsv Il makes 10 pahiir beaaests. fhe
pToperty being divides suaosx reistsvps. ans
bis relics and aaemsntoes being dis1rs5atez
among frierds-
Telegram-herald., 1887-06-15

NEw YoES. June 1.-THE first race-
ssvcn-eighth mile on the Drooklyn Jockey
Clubs track today was won oy Saxony
Msrklsnd. ?. Valentine. g. time l:2sg.
second race-one-half mile. Tampa, 1;
stray Note .. Satisfied 3 iime 4as.
Third rsce-ODe and one-sixtrcnth miles.
Boaz. 1: EaFns, ?, Dry Monopoie, }; time,
t.s0s.
Fourth race-June sosc.ai-ni. .e and fur
long. Bard. /, TeliclOc. , Earnnm. ,.
Time. f.55.
Fifth face-Brooklvn der5v-for 3-year
olds-msle and half Hanover. J. Dun
B0yne. p Bronz0narte. 8 Time. 2.43i.
S.xth race-niile and a saxteenth Choctaw,
I: Florence NJ, =, Aureol, 3. Time. Isl.